Her New Job
by Jocelyn Padoga
Summary: Jocelyn needs a job to help support herself and her twin after her parents untimely death. She turns to the Newsies, will it work out?
1. What Next?

(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own anything, except Jocelyn and Joshua, who is infact, my brother and I. I LOVE the Newsies.)  
  
She walked alone, as usual, on her way home with the laundry. She did this one every two weeks, always on her own. She lived with her twin brother, Joshua, or Gunz as she called him. While they pulled his daily earnings to live on their own, they were struggling. Jocelyn needed to get a job, but where in New York could a young, strong girl find one?  
  
She walked absentmindedly until she ran head on into someone's back.  
  
"Oof!" Jocelyn grunted. She jumped back startled and kept her head down. "Terribly sorry sir." She mumbled.  
  
"It's alright." Came a young male voice. Jocelyn dared to look up into his face. He was about her age, 16, Italian and cute. He had a cigar between his teeth as he smiled at her. "Who're you?" He asked, analyzing her face.  
  
"Jocelyn, Jocelyn Padoga. I live just up the street with my brother, Gunz - Sorry, Joshua." She blurted out. "I didn't get your name."  
  
"That's because I hadn't said it yet, names Racetrack Higgins, or just Race. Please ta meet'cha." He held out his hand to shake. She looked at him for a moment then jumped and shook his hand, nearly dropping her laundry basket. Race quickly helped her steady it.  
  
"You okay there, Kid?" Race asked.  
  
"Oh yes, I'm fine. Listen, I don't normally do this, but I'm desperate." She started.  
  
"What is it?" Race asked skeptically.  
  
"Well, I was wondering if you knew anywhere I could find a job." She looked toward the ground expecting him to tell her "No, not a clue." But to her surprise he said.  
  
"Sure, I think you could work wit us sellin papes. I might hafta ask me boys, but I'm sure dat wouldn't be a problem." Race said smiling. "Hows about I meet you at Tibby's tomorrah and I'll bring some of that guys to meet yah."  
  
"Oh wow, that would be so good." Jocelyn smiled and clapped her hands in excitement.  
  
"Can I ask why youse need a job so bad that you're excited about it?" He asked laughing. Jocelyn stopped smiling and looked into her laundry. Tears built up behind her eyes but she refused to let anyone see her cry. She picked her head up and plastered a fake smile on.  
  
"So, I'll see you tomorrow at Tibby's, say around 11?" Jocelyn asked avoiding his question.  
  
"Uh, yah sure." Race raised an eyebrow. "I'll see yahs tomorrah." He gave her one last smile before he got lost in the crowd.  
  
Jocelyn smiled to herself and practically skipped home to her brother. She walked up the many flights of stairs to their small one bedroom apartment and set the laundry on her bed and began folding it. She waited, as usual, until late when Joshua came home from his 14-hour shift at the factory.  
  
Joshua walked in, exhuasted, but always was able to give his sister a smile. Jocelyn walked into the kitchen and because dishing up some soup for Joshua. She filled two bowls and sat with him at the small table.  
  
"How was work, Gunz?" She asked softly, smiling.  
  
"It was fine, I'm just a little tired, how was your day?" He asked.  
  
"It was great, while I was coming home from doing the laundry and Old Lady Winston's and I ran into a Newsie. his name was. Racetrack I believe, and I asked him if he could find me a job, and I might be able to work with him and some others sellin papes!" Jocelyn said excitedly.  
  
"Jaws." Joshua started slowly. "I don't like the idea of you workin. But, since we need the money, I'm gonna let yah do it. I love the idea that you're excited about this too." He smiled back. "Now, let's finish up so we can get some rest."  
  
"Alright, I'll clean up, you go get to bed." Jocelyn laughed.  
  
"Thanks sis." He kissed the top of her head. She smiled to herself and thought.  
  
'What would we do without each other. I'd be no where. No, what am I to do about tomorrow. I hope these guys are nice.' She shook her head. She finished cleaning up, changed for bed, and fell asleep with the excitement about tomorrow on her mind.  
  
AN: Okay, okay, this is my first EVER Newsies tale, please, go easy on me. Constructive critism would be nice. I'm not sure if I even want to continue this, I would love to. but I'm not entirely sure where I am taking this. Any suggestions? 


	2. Starting Up

(Disclaimer: I don't own anything, really. I'm dead flat broke. ( In MY stories, Spot runs Brooklyn more so from Manhattan. He just goes home every night)  
  
Jocelyn woke up with the mid-morning sun and looked at her pocket watch. The same pocket watch her father passed down to her before he and her mother died in the horrid fire. Jocelyn shook her head at the memory and started getting ready for her meeting with Racetrack and his friends. She looked around and picked up the apartment first, not much to do, not with two teenagers living on their own with only little to their name. She showered and changed into her khaki pants, white button up, and blue vest. She brushed her hair back and let her natural curls bounce from under her cap.  
  
Jocelyn had just walked up to Tibby's when she heard a new familiar voice calling her name from the side street. She looked over to see Racetrack waving her over, three boys standing beside him. She walked over smiling nervously.  
  
"Hey Racetrack. Uh, nice tah see you." She said.  
  
"Hey Jocelyn, these are some of the guys." He pointed at each boy individually. He pointed to the tallest boy with the brown hair and red bandana. "This is Jack Kelly, sometimes know as Cowboy, he's the leader of the pack round here." He joke punched him in the shoulder. "This is Kid Blink, or just Blink." He pointed at a cute kid with blonde hair and a patch over his left-eye. He reached forward and shook her hand, smiling softly. "And this is our guy, Mush." A tan-skinned, well-built teenager jumped forward and pulled Jocelyn in a hug.  
  
"Welcome to our side of the streets, Jocelyn." He said laughing as he let her go. "Oh. Jocelyn."  
  
"What, what about Jocelyn?" Jocelyn asked nervously.  
  
"No, nothing, it's just. your name is so long, is there something else we could call you?" Mush asked.  
  
"Oh, well, yah, my brother Joshua calls me Jaws, because I used to bite when I was little." At the looks on their faces she began waving her hands frantically. "NO!" She laughed. "Not like that, I would nibble, just soft love bites." She pulled her hat over her eyes. "Ugh." She groaned.  
  
"Well. Don't worry about it, we've gots lots a people back at the house whos just as weird as you." Jack said smiling. "So, you wants to be a Newsie eh? Do you think yous is cut out to be a Newsie?"  
  
"Absolutely!" Jocelyn said jumping up and down.  
  
Race held up his hands to stop her. "Newsies. we don't do that."  
  
"Oh, sorry." She said laughing. "Sorry, I just excited to have a job, I mean my brother and I need this money so bad, after ---." She started blushing. "Never mind." She looked at the ground. "Anyway. Yes, I do believe I am ready to be a Newsie. I'm desperate."  
  
Jack nodded. "Well, the evening edition comes out at 6, you can meet us back here for your. uh what's it called. eh, I can't think of the word, but we'll show you da ropes without you actually working, you know?"  
  
Jocelyn smiled at all four of her new co-workers. "Sure, I'll meet you guys back here round 6." She nodded her head and started back home until she heard her name being called out again. She turned to see Blink running up to her, the three other guys standing behind waiting for him.  
  
"What's up. Blink?" She asked slowly.  
  
"Yah, Blink. Um, I was just wondering what you were doing right now." Blink asked.  
  
"Well, nothing, I've already cleaned up my place, I'll just have to be home in time to get dinner started." She said without thinking.  
  
"Jeeze, you do all that everyday? And yous is going to be workin' too? Psht." He shook his head smiling. "Well, I was juss wonderin if yous wanted to come hang out with me an the boys for a bit, get to know everyone an all." He shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Okay, sounds good." She smiled and walked back into Tibby's with the others.  
  
Jocelyn spent the whole time there, hanging out with all the Newsies, getting introduced as Jaws. She ran home early just to get things started for when she came back from her first night. She hurried back to Tibby's to meet up with the guys and get started.  
  
She greeted Specs and Spot, who were there to help her learn the tricks of the street. She made her rounds, learning how to make a headline good, and where to make the most sales. Being a girl, people pity them more, most girls wouldn't work as a Newsie, only if they absolutely needed to. She had a blast hanging out with them. And it was only to be smooth selling from there on. Right?  
  
AN: Yah, so this chapter isn't all that good. I'm trying! Tee Hee, I'm running out of ideas, really in other words, I didn't have much at all. ANY suggestions WHATSOEVER would be fabulous. Thanks!! 


End file.
